Check initial placement for the student's first level in Read Naturally Live. Initial placement should be checked after the student completes three to six stories in the level.
If it is determined that the level needs to be raised or lowered, check initial placement again after the student completes three stories in the new level.
How To: Read Naturally Live: Checking Initial Placement
If a teacher was not present for the cold timing for the first stories, select the Teacher Required option for the next three stories. The results will then appear as data for the last 3 stories on the Students At-a-Glance report, and you can compare that data to the Read Naturally Initial Placement Criteria.
Option 1: It is time efficient to go back and do the placement test with each student who is far from meeting the initial placement criteria. You will typically only need to conduct one or two one-minute timings to accurately place a student with an appropriate level and goal. (Using the placement test will eliminate the need for trial and error changes, which may ultimately take much more time.) Check the level and goal again after the student completes three more stories.
Option 2: If the teacher was present for the cold timing on the first three stories, follow Checking Initial Placement to make decisions about moving a student to a more appropriate level and/or adjusting the goal. Compare the student’s cold-timing score to the Placement Table and the quiz-%-correct score to the Quiz Range; use those comparisons with the Level Adjustment Table to decide if a change is needed. Once the level is correct, check the goal using the tables comparing the goal to the cold-timing score, the hot-timing score, and the number of practices; use those comparisons with the Goal Adjustment Table to decide if a change is needed.
Being present for the cold timing as the student begins working at a new level and/or goal will allow you to quickly see if the adjusted placement is now correct. Additional changes may be necessary to achieve correct placement as the student completes several more stories.
